Motor suction unit



Nov. 5, 1935. w. LEATHERS 2,020,121

MOTOR SUCTION UNIT Filed Sept. 18, 1931 posal as set forth in my co-pending patent appli- Patented Nov. 5, 1935 Ward Leathers, Haworth, N.

J assignor, by

mesne assignments, to The Quadrex Corporation, a corporation of Delawar Application September 18, 1931, Serial No. 563,507

2 Claims. o1. 2so 117) The specific object (if my invention is to pro duce a motor-suction unit for an electric broom.

A further object of my invention is to produce a motor-suction unit for suction cleaning purposes of high efliciency per electric energy consumed and at the same time eliminate the bulk and clumsiness of the device in common use.

A further object of my invention is to make an ideal motor-suction unit for that type of suction cleaner where the motor unit is rigid with the handle and the nozzle is rigid with said unit, or flexibly attached thereto, or articulated thereto. A further object of my invention is to produce a neat, compact, motor-suction unit in combination with filtering 'means and dirt discation No. 563,508.

I have accomplished this purpose by invent- I ing a new form of fan and housing therefore, which when applied to the purposes set forth, is a new and conspicuous addition to improvements in the art of suction cleaners.

In order to set'forth my invention in such clear terms that all may understand, I have prepared the following specifications to which I have appended a drawing of which Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of motor suction unit.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is the fan therefor.

Figure 4 is a partial view of the device showing a portion of the outlet member 15in section to disclose the baffle it.

In Figure 1, a motor shaft i-l, supports a commutator 2 and the usual rotor windings, not shown. The case 3 therefore also holds within its cylindrical wallsthe usual magnets and coils. The shaft I may be supported on any suitable bearings t. These bearings are of the usual selfoiling, self-aligning variety. The upper bearing is held in a spherical face in the die-casting 3 by a spring clip 5. A handle 6 is joined to the upper end of the casting 3 and oiled felt 1 prov'ides an ample supply of lubrication. The lower bearing is held in a spherical face in a stamping 8 by a spring clip 9 between which is disposed oil soaked felt for lubricating purposes. The casting or stamping i is. wholly annular except as shown at the inlet provided with a slot II (more clearly shown filled by a spring l2 for holding a sweeper mechanism in the section at the dotted line AA). A fan i 3 is shown with a frustroconical back which permits 01 the turning of the air through substantially two 45 angles instead of through two 90 angles as is common practice in vacuum cleaner manufacturing. The casing is so designed that the fan has a free spill to the pressure side around its entire periphery. This spills into an expanding chamber 14 which increases in depth in the direction of rotation to the point of exhaust l5, (this expanding chamber is more clearly illustrated in Figure 2). A fin I6 integral with the casting 3 serves the function of a scoop or batlie aiding in turning the air to its outlet port. By this construction high efficiencies are obtained with the smallest bulk and manufacturing economies are realized since the convolute expansion chamber is a part of-the casting 3 where heretofore it has been an awkwardly and expensiveiy devised part of the fan housing l0. The parts i0 and 3 may be joined in any desired manner.

Figure 2 illustrates more specifically how my' invention is particularly adaptable to that kind of suction cleaner which holds the motor fan rigid with the handle. Here the parts 3 and iii are joined together by screws or pins ll. Expansion chamber It is shown expanding in a clockwise direction and following on the far side of the motor on the dotted line l8. i9 is the brush holder and 20 and 20a are ventilator ports for ventilating the motor housing '3. A spring 2| rigidly attached to the top of the motor housing vention not being directed to these features, I

have not shown them herein but refer to my copending application Serial No. 563,508, Pat. No. 1,916,006, where these features are disclosed.

Figure3 shows the front view of the fan i3 40 designed for clockwise motion.

The herein construction is adapted to a light weight high-powered vacuum cleaner with all the parts including the motor-suction-unit mounted directly on the handle. The hollow helical upper portion It of the fan casing gives a highly efficient fan discharge and therefore a highly efficient suction effect at the nozzle of the cleaner. Moreover, it is combined with the motor housing 3 in a manner which provides for and increases the ventilation of the motor which is an important consideration in a lightly portable, high-powered vacuum cleaner. Thus the hollow helix l4 completely surrounds the motor housing 3 and its inner wall is also the wall of said housing motor housing, said means comprising the open-c ings 20 and 20a at the bottom and top of the housing as to which it will be noted (Fig. 2) that the helical upper portion H of the fan casing is such that it permits the lower openings 20 to be made through the wall of the motor housing adjacent the bottom thereof by locating them at the lowest portion, namely the starting portion of the helix, thereby permitting full ventilation of the motor chamber from top to bottom, the other opening 20a being through the top of the motor housing. As elsewhere explained, the frustroconical construction of the fan causes it to deliver the air not only outwardly against the walls of the fan chamber but also upwardly into the helical upper portion of said chamber.

Having set forth my invention in terms so clear that all those familiar with these arts can understand, I wish it understood that many departures may be made from the detailed conclusions illustrated and described without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:-

1. In a portable suction cleaner, the combination of an electric motor and a housing therethe upper portion of the for, a handle for the cleaner secured to the upper end of said housing, the shaft of said motor projecting through a bearing in the bottom of said housing, a suction fan on the end of said shaft below the bottom of said housing, a casing for said fan having a dust-laden-air inlet at the bottom thereof for connection with a cleaner-nozzle,

fan casing being a hollow helix which spirals substantially completely around the motor casing beginning with its low portion at the bottom'of the motor housing and ending with its high portion extending from the bottom of the motor housing well up on the side of said housing, said hollow helix being in full communication at the bottom with the underlying portion of the fan casing, the inner wall of said hollow helix being also the wall of the motor housing and thereby serving to cool the motor, the high portion of the helix having an upwardly directed delivery opening for the dustladen-air from the fan chamber.

2. The portable suction cleaner claimed in claim 1 further characterized by said cleaner having additional means for cooling the motor, comprising openings at the upper portion of the motor housing and through the side wall of said housing adjacent the bottom thereof at the aforesaid low portion of the helix. 

